Malaysian latex plant automates

Fisher-Rosemount has won a major contract for the instrumentation and design of PlantWeb field-based architecture to automate a batch process for a new Synthomer synthetic latex plant in Malaysia.

Synthomer, part of Yule Catto & Co, is investing £1.75million in the greenfield plant, to service the demand for speciality latex in Southeast Asia, particularly in the glove dipping industry.

Fisher-Rosemount has been responsible for the front-end engineering design (FEED) and user requirement specification work for this new plant, and has undertaken the design of the fieldbus segments on the project. Synthomer initially selected Foundation Fieldbus technology to deliver significant cost savings in plant wiring, but further savings are now anticipated because of the smaller control room space requirement, and the shorter commissioning time needed. Production is scheduled to start in January 2002.

The DeltaV automation system will be used for primary control of the process and execution of the many batch recipes initially required, following acceptance of the DeltaV proven functionality, in terms of graphics and configuration in particular, by the Synthomer UK based project engineering staff. The latest version of DeltaV, issue 5.3, includes the Advanced Batch Software Suite and Campaign Manager features, which are important on this plant.

DeltaV also features the Remote Access Server, which will allow the Synthomer engineering team at Stallingborough, near Grimsby, to access and monitor the DeltaV system, once it is installed in Malaysia, in the same way as they would monitor a local site.

By standardising on the proven PlantWeb architecture and the DeltaV automation system as a single window interface to their process and equipment, Synthomer anticipates considerable cost savings in configuration support, maintenance, operation and production.